ALBERTA'S CHOICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 199, 26 August 1935, Page 7

ALBERTA'S CHOICE

SOCIAL CREDIT REGIME NO ACTION BY OTTAWA FOREIGN EXCHANGE FUND NECESSARY FOR NEW SYSTEM. [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) OTTAWA, Aug. 27. The Canadian Government’s plans tn make no opposition to the monetary plans of the new social credit regime in Alberta, it is proposed to issue scrip, which is illegal under the Bank Act, but no action will be taken unless it conflicts with the business of other provinces. Social credit makes necessary a largo foreign exchange fund for Alberta, but the Bank of Canada will only make provision in the regular way by payment iu Canadian legal tender. Fear of the strength of the Douglas Credit movement in Alberta recently caused the Government to call in the aid of Major Douglas himself. This curious method of combating the threat to itself which the Administration saw in the rise of Mr. Aberhart and his followers—for Mr. Aberhart has made the movement—was due to the fact that the Government wished to be able to say to the people that Mr. Aberhart was a false prophet and that the only true and original Douglas Credit pioneer was .to be found as official adviser to the Administration. Major Douglas remained a short time and prepared a report before sailing to England. His fee was repdr ted to have been £2OOO. The report was held to a severe setback to the Douglas Credit scheme. He pointed out that before Alberta could undertake Social Credit the province would require to accumulate a largo volume of foreign exchange, organise credit to gain access to the creation of effective demand, and provide a new and radio circulation system under the “unchangeable” control of tho province. Major Douglas did not indicate how the province could secure a large volume of foreign exchange. He made the astonishing re- 1 mark that, “in Great Britain, the Social Credit position is even more present, though less apparent, in view of the closely-knit Press organisation and the monopoly of broadcasting, which is intimately associated with the Bank of England.’’